Growing basil

jhop

I am in Ennis, Clare, and have just got some basil plants from tesco. Will these grow outside in the garden, or do I have to put them in pots inside?

Reyman

I've tried growing those Basil plants a few times with no success. They seem to die in a week no matter what you do!

Having said that they are a Mediterranean plant, and if you have a greenouse it must be possible to grow them. Like to hear how you do.

The Hill Billy

A bright area indoors without too much direct sunlight would be best.

ScottishDanny

I have a box outside that I use as a herb garden and I've planted basil in it but it gets killed off in our climate. As the previous poster pointed out its a mediterrranean plant so I'm going to have another go but this time treat it like a tomato plant (indoors, lots of sunlight on the window sill)

quazzy

I have Basil growing indoors and its great actually.

Tried to plant in garden but it died very quickly.

Good luck

Idleater

quazzy wrote:

I have Basil growing indoors and its great actually.

Tried to plant in garden but it died very quickly.

Good luck

Plant it in a tray in potting compost, inside and place it on a south facing window sill.

Have loads growing now.

Never succeeded in growing it outside - the snails and slugs love it so much!

Another option is to buy an already growing plant. Keep picking the leaves as they get big and it will continue to grow.

Interestingly, I saw a plant for sale in superquinn for €2.95 and around the corner, about half that amount of "freshly cut" basil in a plastic container for €2.95! So at worst you have to throw out a small pot of potting compost!!!

Anyway, give it a go.

L.

joolsveer

I grow it on the kitchen windowsill and regularly harvest it for dinner and it just grows.

jhop

ScottishDanny wrote:

I have a box outside that I use as a herb garden and I've planted basil in it but it gets killed off in our climate. As the previous poster pointed out its a mediterrranean plant so I'm going to have another go but this time treat it like a tomato plant (indoors, lots of sunlight on the window sill)

Are you saying that I cant grow tomatoes outside either? i have a bunch of seedling tomatoes ready to go out!

Tazz T

I transplanted 6 tomato plants outside in growing bags last week (4th floor apt) and have six more to go. They seem to be doing OK. The secret is to harden them gradually. Leave them out during the day for increasing lengths of time during the week.

I'm just hoping they'll last through this ****ty weather we're having at the moment.

luckat

Basil likes heat and water, but has to have good drainage or it'll damp off (go mouldy). So put it in a big clay pot in a sunny, warm place, and water it well, preferably with water warmed in the sun.

It's an annual - you'll have to get a new plant next year.

ScottishDanny

I'm not a garden expert but I'm keeping my tomato plants indoors as I don't have a greenhouse. With the weather the way it is you never know when a frosty night will come along and kill them off.

GreeBo

luckat wrote:

Basil likes heat and water, but has to have good drainage or it'll damp off (go mouldy). So put it in a big clay pot in a sunny, warm place, and water it well, preferably with water warmed in the sun. .

Surely if it needs frequent watering and good drainage you dont want clay?
At least not pure clay, a compost/soil/sand mix would drain better and prevent waterlogging...?

Alun

GreeBo wrote:

Surely if it needs frequent watering and good drainage you dont want clay?
At least not pure clay, a compost/soil/sand mix would drain better and prevent waterlogging...?

The pot is made out of clay, not filled with it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

GreeBo

Alun wrote:

The pot is made out of clay, not filled with it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well that makes much more sense!:)
Though they can be a pain in the ass to use as the pot takes most of the water, especially if its indoors.

KC81

been very dissapointed with my attemps to plant basil outside. keeps dying or gets eaten. bloody slugs. tried to protect them but the pests just love them too much. the ones that i've kept indoors are progressing well though and the taste is great. so not risking any more plants outside ( been growing them from seed).